CHARDIN, Slit JOHN, was born at Paris in November 1643. His father, who was a Ituguenot, or Protestant, carried on the business of a jeweller in the French capital, and brought up his son to the aamo profeseion. Ac soon however as Chardin was of ego, In order to gratify his taste for travelling, and "to endeavour the advancement of his fortunes and estate," he left France for the East. During hie first journey, which lasted from 1664 to 1670, he visited Persia and the East Indies, end returning to Perim, he published in 12ruo ' An Account of the Coronation of Solyman III., Schah of Persia.' During his residence in Persia be gained accost, to the court, and was appointed agent to the Schab, who commissioned him to make purchases of jewels nod trinkets for him in Europe. At the end of 1671 Chardin again departed for Persia by the route of Constantinople, the Black Sea, and Armenia. lie arrived at Ispehan In June 1673, and remained in Persia till 1677, " chiefly," he says, " following the court in its removals, but also makiug sonic particular journeys, as well of cnrioaity as business, to prosecute my intentions, studying the language, and assiduously frequenting the most eminent and most knowing men of tho nation, the better to inform myself in all things that were curious and new to us in Europe." Few travellers have been so conscientious and pains taking, or have had such good opportunities of acquainting themselves with the country and the manners and customs of Persia. lie spoke the language like a native, he knew Lapidus:a better than Paris, and ho visited nearly every part of the country, traversing, he says, " the whole length and breadth thereof." In April 1611 he came to London, where he settled as jeweller to the court and nobility. On the 24th of the same month of April 1681 he seas knighted by Charles II., and on the same day married to a young lady, the daughter of a French Protestant refugee, from Rouen. In the following year be was elected Fellow of the Royal Society, which had recently been established, and some papers written by Sir John appear in the earliest number of the 'Transactions' of that society.
Ho continued to carry on a considerable trade in jewels, prosecuting at the same time his atudiea of the oriental languages and antiquities. He did not publish an account of his eastern travels until 1686, and then he only brought out the first part of them, being his journey from Paris to Ispaban. (' Travels of Sir John Chardin,' fol., London, 1686.) This volume, with an unfortunate prophecy of future glory and a long reign, was rather pompously dedicated to James 1L, who two yearn later was driven from his throne. Chardin was a good courtier, but he had obligations to acknowledge to James as well as to Charles II. The latter king had employed him diplomatically on an important mission to Holland, and in 1683 Sir John had figured at the Hague and Amsterdam as agent for the English East India Company. In 1711 appeared tho second part of his travels. During the latter part of his life he lived at Turnham Green, and, according to an entry in the church books, he was buried at Chiswick on the 29th of December 1713. His travels have been translated into various languages, and often reprinted. There is a very good edition (in French) in 4 vole. 4to, with platen, published at Amsterdam in 1735, which we have consulted; but the last and best edition is said to he that of Paris, 1811, in 10 vols. 8vo, with notes, by Lauglds, which we have not seen.
About sixty years after his death, some manuscript notes which Chardin had written in India to illustrate passages in the Scriptures by a comparison of modern eastern usages, and which had long been lost, were recovered by his descendants, who advertised a reward for them. They were nearly all incorporated in Mr. llarucer'ss ' Observations On divers passages of Scripture, illustrated by books of travels,' &c.